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Sault chief backs gun registry

Sault Ste. Marie's top cop wants the federal government to take Canadian Firearms Registry out of its sights.

MPs decide CFR's fate in September.

At its annual meeting in Edmonton earlier this week, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police unanimously backed the national registry.

Bob Davies, chief of Sault Ste. Marie Police Service, backs the registry. It is used "quite frequently" by city police and helps his officers with their investigations.

"It has proven beneficial," said Davies.

"It's nice to know if they do have firearms, what the calibre is, whether it's a long gun, whether it's a handgun. That's critical information our officers want to know before they walk into a residence."

City police officers checked the registry 2,853 times in 2009.

Those inquiries included responding to a 911 call about a suicidal man. By checking the registry, police learned he owned eight weapons. They were removed to protect the man from harm.

When police executed a search warrant at an apartment, they found stolen property including two weapons. Because they were registered, the long guns were returned to their rightful owner who lost them during a break-in.

"Without the registry, we would have no way of knowing whether or not they were stolen," said Davies.

"Without the registry we'd have no proof, and no authority, to seize the firearms from that residence."

Most often, the registry is used when domestic assaults go to court. If an accused appears likely to reoffend, police will request the Crown attorney ask for weapons to be surrendered while the person is on bail.

"They won't volunteer that information," said Davies.

"Without the registry we wouldn't know if they had firearms."

He didn't attend the annual meeting because of local commitments.

In November 2009, Sault MP Tony Martin voted against a private member's bill calling for ending the registry.

He cited statistics showing there was "significantly" reduced violence with long guns since the registry started in 2002.